A Christmas Medley
by WindowChild
Summary: A collection of romantic vignettes, each done in the holiday spirit. From Percabeth to PaulRachel, from fluff to angst, there's a little something here for everyone.


A/N: Another drabbles-done-to-music fic of mine, though this one I wrote to songs I selected. …And they're a bit – sometimes a lot – longer than drabbles. Plus, it's a Christmas special. I originally meant to co-write it with ShadowPalace, but that fell by the wayside. So it's just me! I hope you still like it!

I hope everyone had a good Christmas, as well! I was originally going to do this other fic as well, written entirely in rhyme, but it didn't work so well. I'm going to keep practicing though, and hopefully polish it enough to post it eventually.

Another note, each of these is written in its own little universe. For the "Silent Night" one, for instance, you should presume they're in the midst of the second war.

Sexual warnings. I noticed I'm getting a bit more forward with my writing. Also, if you don't like the pairings… well, I'm sorry for you. I don't like doing all Percabeth all the time. I prefer to experiment.

Happy reading to you all! Also, I want to sincerely thank everyone who regularly reads and reviews my fics. You guys rock, and you give me the motivation to keep writing. Thanks so much!

* * *

**Frosty the Snowman**

_Perachel_

Rachel slid a mitten over her frozen fingertips, tracing the woolen bumps in curiosity. "Are you ready?"

"Just about," Percy replied. He wrapped a scarf around them both, tying them together, and Rachel giggled. "What are we doing anyway?"

"We," she began, spinning backwards, "are going to Central Park. To play."

"To play?"

"Mmhm. We are so mature, right?"

Percy chuckled. "Yeah."

They joined hands, Percy's clad in sportsman gloves, and paraded out of the apartment. They had no sled, but more winter clothes than any two people ought to have owned.

Rachel danced ahead of him on the sidewalk, her vivacious spirit bubbling overtime. "Look at that," she burst, once they reached the hill. "Isn't that gorgeous?"

"Yeah…" Percy said, surprised. He hadn't visited the sledding hill since he was little. He stared at the supply of flakes, shocked by their abundance. The snow blanketed every spec of green grass, hung as ornaments off every tree. "Thanks for taking me here," he said, smiling at her. "Leave it to you to think of something like this."

She giggled, giving him a peck on the lips. "Now come on!" She retook his hand, pulling them along the snowdrifts. They ran and ran until they fell, sprawling in the middle of the sled run.

They both laughed, rejoicing their youth and their freedom. "Come on," Percy said, leading for once. "We're going to get hit."

They rolled gracefully out of the way, narrowly missing a toboggan. "Nice move," Rachel whispered. The flakes showered her hair with an angelic touch, but her devilish smile forewarned of less than saintly actions.

She hit him in the chest, using her hands to keep him on the ground.

"Damn, you're going to get me soaked," he muttered, swiping at the water in his hair.

A hissed giggle spat from her lips, reaching his ears just before it reached his mouth. "Like you care."

She wore no lip-gloss, not today, but it didn't sour the sweet taste between them. Somehow they stayed warm, lying in the snow like they were, and they kissed until Rachel hit him.

"Ow," he muttered. "What?"

"Let's build a snowman," she said, standing up.

"What?" he asked, thrown by her sporadic attention span. He may have had ADHD, but even he could stay focused on a make out session.

"Let's build a snowman!" she repeated, darting to the other side of the hill. "There's tons of snow here; we can do it!"

"Yeah?" Percy said. He shrugged, indifferent to the whole idea. If she wanted to build a snowman, they would probably end up building a snowman. "Where do you want me?" he asked.

"Help me roll the snow."

So they built a snowman. It had three impressive body parts, and a mouth made of shoelace to boot. Rachel grinned at it, proud of their creation. "What do you think?" she asked, applying acorns for the eyes.

"It's great, Rachel," Percy said, trying to sound encouraging. Still though, he missed the kissing. "Why'd you want to build it, though?'

She gave a girlish giggle, pressing herself against him. "It can keep guard," she said, grabbing his wrist and pulling him behind it.

They fell onto the snow, full of laughter, embracing their romantic - if immature – methodology.

* * *

**Silent Night**

_GroverAnnabeth_

"You're still awake?" Grover leaned against the doorframe, eyes finding her on the couch.

"Yeah," she said, her voice watery. "I couldn't sleep."

"Me neither." Taking a precautionary breath, he strode in and sat beside her. "Are you okay?"

She paused, unable to lie to him. He had seen her from the moment she arrived at camp, only a seven-year-old girl. And they'd met under similar pretenses. "Not really. I miss Thalia," she sniffed. "She could already be dead, Grover. Zeus said she's going to be a target."

"I know…" He took her hand, shoving his own feelings aside. She needed the comfort, whatever his intentions might be. "But she might not be," he said, once again ignoring his own ache. He worried about Thalia too, even if he didn't say so. "And it's Christmas Eve, Annabeth. You should get some sleep."

"I can't," she said, sounding like a stubborn child. "What if…"

"What if what?" He held her hand in both of his now, stroking her skin with his thumb. "You have to go to sleep. Percy will never forgive me if I let you stay up like this." Percy. Out on a quest. Still her boyfriend, whatever Grover might have wanted.

She placed her head against the couch's back, shutting her eyes in a final defense. "I just can't fall asleep, Grover. I've tried…"

"Let me play something for you," he said, eyes sparking. "Please?"

She made a face, trying to be tactful. "On your reed pipes?" she asked. "Grover, you aren't –"

"I've gotten better!" he insisted. "Please? It might help."

"Okay," she conceded, for diplomatic sake. "If you like."

He smiled, and began to play. She listened, unfeeling at first. After all, Annabeth had expected a desire to wear earplugs. But this brought nothing of the kind. The notes were beautiful with the way they knot together, harmony stretching from every moment.

She finally breathed, relaxing, recognizing the song at last. It was a Christmas lullaby, Silent Night. She smiled too, just a little.

By the end of the song, she'd fallen asleep, the skin of her cheek brushing Grover's shoulder. He tried to smile, wishing to be happy for her sleep, but he couldn't pull it off. This platonic relationship was simply not enough. It had never been enough, maybe, but it had grown too hard to deny it.

* * *

**Santa Baby**

_PaulRachel_

"Thank you for coming in on Christmas Eve," Paul said, shrugging in awkward apology. "Sorry to make you do this, but we seem to have misplaced Bobby's semester tuition. It's – it's a big check, and you know…"

Rachel nodded quickly. "I understand. I just appreciate getting the job at all." She looked him right in the eyes, direct as always. "I know you created the Teacher's Assistant position for me, and…" For once, she dropped her dropped her gaze. "I haven't had the chance to thank you."

"Anything I can do, Rachel," Paul said shortly. "You're Percy's friend. And I know it can't be easy for you. He told me about your – your _job_ at camp, and about your family." He cleared his throat, concerned he'd said too much. She looked so pretty, her eyes lined with dark makeup, and a rather… skimpy shirt. "I'm very sorry. I'm just glad I can help."

Rachel grimaced, perhaps at the reference to her father. "Thanks," she said, her voice low. "So…" she sighed, hopping onto the windowsill with ease. "Where are we supposed to look?"

"Just… around." His skin darkened, his throat swollen with embarrassment. "I'm sorry for dragging you here. You're dressed up; were you headed somewhere?"

She sighed, stretching to touch the ends of her toes. "It's alright," she said. "I was just going to go to a party. Nothing special. No one's really around." Her eyes darted sideways to the professor, creased with playful accusation. "And why are you here? You have a family, don't you?" They still bordered the uncomfortable topic of formal address, leaving Rachel uncertain about whether to say Paul or Mr. Blofis. Usually she didn't say anything at all.

"Well, Percy's in Aruba, as you know, and Sally…" He hesitated, lines of age appearing in his gray smile. "She's fine with the baby, I think. She understands that this is important."

Rachel didn't push. She would have, had it been a peer, but Paul's years made him feel untouchable to her. "Oh. We should get looking then, so you can go back." Her voice cradled a brittle edge, and she strode past him with her head held high. "Did you really just drop the check?" She stuck her manicured hands on her hips, swaying her legs to an irate position. Paul fumbled at the sight of her narrowed eyes, curling lips.

"I – no, we lost it on the computer somewhere. Are you good with those?"

"Not really," she replied stiffly. "Have you tried searching it?"

"Ah… what is that?"

She restrained from rolling her eyes. "Where's your laptop?"

"On the desk," he replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

She sat down in the chair, staring at the desktop picture. Sally and Paul cuddled on the couch, Percy holding his baby sister behind them. A family portrait. "Nice picture," she said, brushing a curl over her shoulder.

He came up behind her, his minty scent wafting up her nose. "That was taken two years ago, Rachel. See, Judy's only an infant there."

"Right," Rachel replied. She didn't continue the conversation; she did the right thing. She opened up spotlight, searching Bobby's name and sorting through the recent files.

"There you go," she said, standing up. "Unless there's anything else you need…" She cocked her head in the direction of the door, ready to make a quick getaway. Whatever connotations may have lay with her spirit, Rachel was no bad girl. The spurts of joy he left her resulted in only guilt, not pleasure. She did not enjoy the attraction between them, not when it stood so palpable and magnetic.

"Rachel," he started, as she reached door. "I – if you ever need to talk… about anything, please find me."

She inhaled deeply, causing her shoulders to rise and her sleeve to slip further down her arms. Paul tried not to look. "Thank you, but I'm really okay." She met his eyes, finding his honesty and his wisdom. In hers, he caught what she'd endured, and a little piece of the future she saw. Rachel had eyes wider than any others; she could see what no one else could.

They were not bad people. At the bottom of it, they only wanted to be friends. He only wanted to help this young girl, who'd undergone as much as his stepson, and she only wanted to succeed at her first job. They did not mean to feel this way.

"Goodnight," Rachel said. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." He struggled with himself. If she had strength, why didn't he? For gods' sake, she had once dated his son! And even if you forgot about that, he was married and she was celibate. It could never work. "Wait, Rachel." But he could not allow himself to let her go. "It's late. Let me drive you home."

She froze. Why wouldn't he let her leave? "Okay." She swallowed, deciding to end it here and now. "Thank you Mr. Blofis."

* * *

**Sleigh Ride**

_Gruniper_

"Wow." Juniper nestled closer to Grover's side, holding him for warmth. "I don't think I've ever seen so much snow." He unbuttoned his jacket for her, and she squirmed inside.

"You're cold," he said, worried. "You're shivering."

"I'm fine," she said, tracing her finger along his shirt. "I'm warmer now," she giggled, leaning her ear straight over his chest. She listened to his heart rate with a quiet smile, and they watched the snow together.

"This is beautiful." A jubilant glow shined over her skin, and she hit him with an adoring smile. "And look at the horses!" She clapped her hands together, in rhythm with the chiming sleigh bells. "Oh Grover, how did you know to do this?"

"Well, we haven't been on many real dates. And… I don't know, I just thought you would like it." Shyly glancing her way, he wondered if she'd seen through the fancy props. Did she know what was coming?

No, she had no idea. That much was clear. She saw the night through wide, innocent eyes. "The snow's so pretty." Straightening with animation, she laughed. "I wish Poseidon and Zeus would make it snow all the time."

. The comeback _'that would mean they'd have to work together' _came to mind, but he didn't say it. Percy could pull off those things, not him. His tone simply did not stretch to sarcasm well, and anyway, he didn't think Juniper would appreciate it. So he just kept smiling, running his furry knuckles through her hair.

"You're – you're beautiful," he said, after a moment. It sounded as shaky as he feared it would, but her mew of happiness told him she lapped it up.

"So, Juniper?"

"Mmm?"

"We – we've been dating for a while, right? A few years?"

"Mmm," she said, nodding her head. He bent to kiss her forehead, and then quickly disentangled himself from the jacket. She sat up surprised. "Grover?"

"And Juniper," he ducked his head to hide his nervous smile, continuing at rapid speed, "you know, we're at an age, where, well…" When he looked up, he found her eyes were full of tears. Now she knew what was coming.

"So…" he said, fumbling with the box in his pocket. He knelt, hoping he would get this sentence out without stuttering. "Will you marry me?"

A gasp escaped her lips, and tears of shock streamed down her cheeks. A pause hung heavy in the air, and she nodded. "Y-yes Grover, yes!" He stood up, grabbing her around the shoulders, kissing her harder than he'd ever thought he could.

"Oh Grover…" she wept, reaching for him. He held her close, smiling at her tearful joy. "You planned this so perfectly." Choking on a giggle, she gave him another kiss. "With the horses, and the snow… Grover, it's Christmas Eve!" A squeal clicked against the night, as if she'd just realized this, and she jumped onto his lap. "This is the most – the most amazing Christmas present ever."

He took her hands, sliding the engagement ring onto her finger. "And just think, we get to plan the wedding now."

"And tell everybody."

His hand rose to brush the snow out of her hair, to wipe away her tears. "And spend the rest of our lives together." Wild grins scrolled over both their faces, and Juniper squealed once more.

"And have babies!"

Grover froze, mouth dropping. He hadn't accounted for that. "Babies?"

* * *

I**t's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year**

_ThaliaAnnabeth_

"Thalia!" Annabeth frowned, her skinny legs wandering to the window display. "Look at all of the presents!"

"Yeah…" Thalia took the little girl's hand, trying to ignore the sadness welling inside of her. When was the last time she'd had a real Christmas? "You like those?"

Annabeth nodded. "They're pretty. I like the big green one." She pointed to the present in the corner, tied with a lavish blue ribbon. "What do you think they have in here?" Her gray eyes waited expectantly, and Thalia struggled for the perfect answer.

"Well…" She clicked her tongue against her bottom lip, plastering a smile there. "What would you put there?"

"Books," Annabeth replied at once. "And maybe… a new jacket."

Thalia's heart thudded, bloated with guilt. What was she thinking, keeping Annabeth out here for so long? Her clothes were hardly suited for this kind of weather. "Come on," she said softly. "Let's catch up to Luke."

"Oh, can't we go inside? Please, Thalia? He said he'd meet us at the train station!" Excitement whirled through her veins, face alit with excitement. And Thalia couldn't say no. She wanted to be mature, keep them safe, but it was too difficult. Annabeth finally possessed the giddiness of a little kid, and she couldn't take that from her. Besides, she was only a child herself. She wanted to see the store.

"Okay," Thalia said. "Only for a few minutes, though." In her state of constant nerves, she did remember to check the street for monsters. They were clear.

Granted, it was the first thing in sight, but Annabeth raced to the stuffed Santa display with unprecedented speed. She picked one off the top, hugging it. "They're soft," she remarked. "And they look real, don't they Thalia?" She bounced from one thing to the next, never losing her spirit or her smile.

Thalia looked on with admiration, wishing she could feel so light. Christmas – all holidays, in fact – had lost their magic on her. It made her bitter, seeing all of the things they'd never own.

Annabeth danced through the rows of decorations, accepting a lollipop from the store clerk. "Is that your sister?" he asked Thalia, smiling kindly. "She's a cute kid."

On guard now, Thalia knew not to get distracted. Often the kindest people turned out to be monsters. "Yes, she is," she said curtly, making no distinction as to which question this answered. "Thanks." She strolled over to Annabeth, taut with nerves until she grabbed the girl's hands. "Let's go," she said softly. "Let's meet Luke, okay?"

Though she looked disappointed, Annabeth obeyed at once. "Thalia," she said, as they walked to meet Luke. "This is my favorite time of the whole year!" Thalia nodded, smiled, and wished she could agree.

11 years later.

"Thalia!"

Leaving maturity somewhere on the corner, Annabeth barreled into her friend. "I haven't – I haven't seen you in two years!" She panted, out of breath from running, and wrapped her arms around the girl.

Thalia smiled. Sallow and stretched thin, her face and body looked decidedly altered. Annabeth noticed at once, and frowned.

"They – they only let me out for a few minutes," Thalia said. "We were passing by the city, and I thought you might be near Percy's." She blinked, and Annabeth thought she spotted a trace of tears in her eyes. "I know how important Christmas is to you."

"Yeah…" Annabeth smiled, afraid that Thalia would disappear once released. In that case, then, she just wouldn't let go. "You never liked it though, right?"

Thalia considered this. "I liked seeing how happy you were. But, no… not really." Her eyes creased suddenly, avoiding Annabeth's. "It just wasn't my thing." Without warning, she grew squirmy.

"I should get back, Annabeth. They won't like me being gone for so long."

"Thalia…" This seemed unfair, her leaving so quickly. They never saw each other anymore.

"You're grown up, Annabeth. You'll be fine."

"Yeah," Annabeth said, confused by the way Thalia was acting. "But that doesn't mean I don't miss you."

A little sigh cam from Thalia's throat, and Annabeth could see her struggling not to cry. What was going on? "Thalia, are you okay?" she asked. "Are you happy being a Hunter?"

Thalia shifted her gaze, making it easier to lie. "Yeah, I am," she said. "They're – they're really letting me get to know myself." All at once, she glanced back, testing the waters. However, Annabeth obviously didn't understand. "Percy's taking care of you, isn't he?"

"…Yeah, of course he is," Annabeth said. "Thalia," she said, desperation building as Thalia pulled away. "Wait, are you sure you're okay?"

Thalia nodded, waving a hand. "Have a merry Christmas, Annabeth." She broke into a sprint once she turned the corner, knowing she'd be met with comfort when she returned to the pack.

Worst of all, they'd been right. They'd said it would hurt, seeing her, and they knew best. She couldn't bear it. Her tears began to freeze, and she thought back to all those years ago. They'd been without proper clothes, proper food, and still she'd managed to feel happier then. Chased by monsters, no sense of safety, and it had been better.

Because, maybe, Thalia only felt happy with two people. One was dead, and the other… Taken. Her heart had been captured years ago, when Thalia lay in a tree, powerless to stop the thievery.

She froze, hit by an invisible wall, staring up at Rockefeller Center. She'd hadn't realized she'd gone so far, hadn't thought she'd see the giant tree. Misery clung to her skin in tears and sweat, mounting as she watched the glee around her. These mindless, unimportant people… they were so lucky. Their parents weren't gods; destiny and honor did not entirely bind their lives.

Turning on her heel, blocking out the smells and sights before her, she returned to _her_ destiny. And as gentle and forgiving as they were, so ready to let her "bend" the rules with Annabeth, she dreaded returning to them. Sighing, giving up, she threw a final glance to the monster of a tree. Bright as it shone, she was too old to believe its lies. It had never been a merry Christmas.

* * *

**I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause**

_HadesMaria_

"Why would anyone enjoy that?" Hades asked, thoroughly baffled. He stared into Maria's eyes, their light readying him to concede, but he didn't understand. What was the point of having a tree in the house?

"It's for the children, Hades," she whispered, as if it were a surprise. It wasn't at all; they were the ones who'd been bothering her. "It's part of the 'normal' childhood, we'd been talking about." At this, her elegant features slid into a crooked position, and Hades smoothed them back to their regular position.

"Whatever you like," he said stiffly, giving the smile that only she could earn. "This just takes some adjustment, Maria. I am not used to living like this, in a household. I am not used to having children to look after."

Her red lips rolled into a beam, flashing the perfection of her teeth. "I know. And you've done so much, and you've been so good." She laced her fingers together, shifting her head. Ever since they'd begun playing house, living together like they were, she tried to forget about his godliness. It was not so hard, when he acted the part like this. When he helped her with errands, when he didn't bring up Persephone or his siblings, she found it simple to ignore the short-termed nature of their life together.

Bianca darted into the room, quiet and obedient as always. Hades kept his smile for her, as he actually found her endearing to an extent. She was quite unlike her brother, who, at two-years-old, was the most deceitful and fussy little child. Hades had a much harder time smiling for the boy.

"Mommy?" Bianca asked, taking her mother's hand. Neither child approached Hades very often. "Are we going?"

"Yes, Darling," she said. "Go grab your coat and your brother, alright? We'll leave in a moment." After Bianca had gone, Hades wincing as her little shoes scuffed the tiles, Maria turned to him. "You're sure you don't want to come?"

He shook his head. "I have some things to do, Maria. But I'll see you when you get back, alright?" Determined to avoid her disappointed gaze, he exited. This was a new idea, one that would be tricky. However, somewhere in his twisted soul, he had eyes hopes for it. He only wished that she'd appreciate what he brought back, and maybe even understand the pain it took to get it.

Trying to relax, but tensing all the further, he strode through California. _Sunny _California. All devotion left him temporarily, and he decided he would buy all three presents at the first store.

The children's were easy. He didn't really know the art of toy, but he'd lived long enough to understand the basics. He plucked two stuffed animals off the rack, not bothering to check which species they were. Now, Maria's present required more elaborate planning.

This was going to be special. This gift would, hopefully, substitute for the wedding ring he'd never be able to give her. He wanted it to be perfect, and worth the mind-numbing experience of shopping.

After an argument with the insipid manager, and a few minutes of deliberation over whether torture was called for, he settled on a necklace. It held a row of diamonds, silver jewels surrounding a black butterfly. Perfect. Beautiful, elegant and dark, just like her. Slapping a sneer and a fistful of bills on the counter, he left.

When he returned, the others had already placed the tree, and he swiftly dodged Maria's questions on his whereabouts (she hadn't seen him; where had he gone?). Once they'd gone into the other room, deciding to bake cookies, he slid the packages under the tree. Perhaps, as a god, he should have done better, but shopping in a mortal store felt somehow authentic.

He strode the stairs to his private room then, anticipating their expressions on Christmas morning. He wasn't disappointed.

Bianca opened hers first, going to hug her mother in habit. "That isn't from me," Maria said, frowning. She shot Hades half a glance, as if not daring to hope it was his.

"It's from me," Hades said, his voice rough. With one arm he hugged his daughter, pleased that it only lasted a short time. Still though, seeing her smile made him feel better about the whole thing.

"Thank you Daddy," she whispered shyly, before darting to join her brother.

Maria opened her present with a speechless smile, waves of emotion riding off her skin. She gave him a slow, deep kiss, stroking his cheek and mouthing a thank you.

"From Daddy?" Nico asked, holding up his animal. It turned out to be a turtle. He'd noticed that it matched his sister's, apparently as intelligent as he was deceptive.

Hades nodded, using all his effort to plaster a smile on his face.

"Like San-ta!" Nico added, using the word his sister taught him. "Santa Clause!" Bianca and her mother burst into giggles.

"See how happy you've made them?" Maria whispered, embracing the god of Death. To her, he seemed so harmless. She planted a kiss on his mouth, and let him put the necklace on her.

"I wish I'd got you something," she said, her hand returning to the side of his face. "I wasn't sure what you'd like."

He shook his head, denying the need for her apology. "I wish I could get you more," he said, "but…" They both nodded, their mutual lacks understood. There was so much more they wanted to give, that they simply couldn't, but that didn't mean they didn't love each other.

* * *

**Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree**

_SallyPaul_

Sally laughed, good-natured and smiling, her hair clipped behind her head. "I could do this for hours," she said, spinning into him.

"I could too," he replied, swaying her the way they'd learned in lessons. He looked at her, trying to analyze her expression. "This is a good way to spend Christmas, isn't it?"

"Of course," she said. They stood in one another's arms now, tangoing across the floor. "A great way. I forgot how fun dancing is."

"Mmm." He smelled her shampoo, her lilac perfume, and nodded in agreement. "I used to do this every year, with my parents."

"Really? Oh, I wish I'd known you as a kid. I bet you were a nice guy." She let him maneuver her around in circles, trying to picture him as a teenager.

Now he laughed, shaking his head at her assumption. "I was a nerd, basically. Social outcast. It's a good thing you found me when you did."

Both smiling, amused, they did a fancy dance move with their arms. "Did you have many girlfriends?" Naturally, she was curious. They hadn't discussed it much, and obviously… well, she couldn't quite tell him about Poseidon.

"Three before you."

"Three?" She looked up, surprised. Even if you took Poseidon out of the picture, there was Smelly Gabe… There was the smattering of men she'd passed through after college.

"Yes." He paused, and then said, "And I didn't like them half as much as I love you, you should know."

"Oh Paul," she said, pleased a slow song had begun. "I don't know how you do it, but everything you say…" She gave a shudder of pleasure. "You should be a writer, you know. Not an English teacher."

He laughed. "Come now, you're being kind. I'm not poetic," he paused, "You must have been with some very tame men.

"If only you knew the kind of life I've had." Her smile was humor-filled, and so he didn't ask.

They danced on and on, until midnight passed and it was no longer Christmas. Then they went to a Starbucks, drinking coffee and talking until they nearly fell asleep in the store. "We should go home, Sally," Paul whispered, noticing her drooping eyelids. As he helped her into a cab, climbing in beside her, he kissed her cheek. "I hope you had a merry Christmas."

He'd thought she was asleep, but she answered. "I did," she replied. "Thank you."

"Anytime." Looking out the window, he decided to take his chances. "Next year?"

She smiled through her sleep, appreciating the lasting nature of this man. That was the one thing she'd missed, sailing by every sexual encounter she'd ever had. "It's a date."

* * *

**Blue Christmas**

_PercyBianca_

"Um… this is for you." Percy placed a red rose on the tombstone, feeling awkward about it. "Nico – " he paused, "When I asked your brother where this place was, he suggested I bring a flower. So… yeah."

He moved onto his heels, staring at the grave and frowning. This felt all wrong. "It's kind of weird, since he can see you and everything. He wanted this made for you anyway." Again, he found himself stopping short. Since he felt pretty sure that Bianca wasn't listening, he was just talking to himself. Talking to air.

Trying to ease himself, he spoke this aloud. "I know – I know you probably can't even hear me, but I guess that's okay." His voice dropped a decibel or two, landing at a whisper. "I just thought I'd say hello. And uh, and wish you a merry Christmas."

He gave an odd sort of grunt, possibly intending to laugh, and put his shaking fingertips on her grave. Taking a minute to get used to the icy stone, he conjured up as many memories of her as he could. They stood few and far between, but still… there'd been a spark. No one could deny that.

"That's why I got the red rose, you know, for the holiday." Feeling stupid, he jumped subjects. Do you have Christmas in the Underworld?" he asked bitterly. "We're having an okay one here, with the war being over. And Annabeth… Annabeth's planning all these things. Did I tell you?" He sighed, swiping his index finger across his eyes."We're dating now. …I'm sorry, but it's just… I do love her lots." Bowing his head, he removed his hand from the grave. "Doesn't mean I don't miss you," he said softly.

"I – I told Nico finally. About how you and I…" He couldn't finish the sentences. "I mean, I needed to talk to someone, and… he seemed like a good choice. But Bianca…" Percy stopped, taking several deep breaths before he continued. "You're dead. And the more I think about it, whatever it was we had, the weirder it seems. I barely knew you, Bianca."

He stood up, letting her go like he'd promised himself he would. "I'll – I'll miss you, but yeah… It's like I said before. Hope you have a nice Christmas, wherever you are."

* * *

**Let it Snow**

_ChrisClarisse_

"Ow… hey, that hurt!"

"That's because I'm better at making snowballs than you are." Clarisse grinned, putting together another mound to pelt at her boyfriend. "Don't feel bad Chris, I've just had more practice." Gritting her teeth, she slammed the next one into his shoulder.

"Ow!" Still, he laughed, shaking his in awe of her. "Man, you've got such an arm."

"I can help you practice sometime, if you like." Focusing her attention on the snow, she hoped he wouldn't notice her smile.

"That'd be great," he said, grinning. Then, sliding a hand behind his back, "Think fast!"

She dodged it like an expert, slamming another back at him. In his attempts to miss the hit, he slipped onto the snow.

Sighing, she reached out a hand to help him up. "Game over, I think," he said, wincing. "Nice plays, Clarisse."

"Thanks. Your leg okay?" It was as stiff as always, her voice, but he could hear the twinge of concern.

With a smile, he nodded his head. "Think so. It's just sore. I –"

"DUCK!" She gave him a push, shoving them both back into the snow.

Chris turned, spotting the Stoll brothers from behind a tree. Figured they'd be throwing snowballs too. "Thanks," he murmured, wiping the frost from his clothes and face.

"Hey look," he said, pointing up at the sky. "It's snowing again." He grinned, noticing that her head rested on his arm. If she noticed too, would she move away?

But Clarisse had no patience for beauty. Not like Chris did. "Let's go back into camp grounds," she said. "It won't be snowing there, and we can warm up." She glared over at the Stoll brothers, and the other assortment of demigods around. "I don't why they took all of us out here, anyway. It could be dangerous."

Chris followed her steps carefully, frowning all the while. "It's not that dangerous, anymore. And I think they just wanted to see snow."

Arms folded, Clarisse was clearly uninterested. "Whatever," she muttered. Then, observing the grimace on his face. "Are you okay?" Again, she sounded as if she didn't care, but he knew better.

"Fine. Just put a bit too much pressure on my leg."

The only response he received was a curt nod, which he took with a little smile. It was nice to know she paid attention at all, actually.

"Want to get hot chocolate at the dining hall?" she asked, eyes and eyebrows looking anywhere but at him.

Somehow, he felt relaxed by her nerves. "Sure, that sounds great."

Together they poured some of the mugs away, as a sacrifice to the gods, and then settled down to drink the rest. "Yum," Chris said, the warmth spreading through his body. "Ah, it feels good."

"Uh-huh," Clarisse replied, nodding her head.

A gap widened in the conversation, known to some as silence, and Chris hesitated. This was his opportunity, really. As the guy, it was his duty. Bucking up, plastering a grin on his face, he tried to find his voice. "So, hey… I don't know if – if you have plans, but… what are you doing on Christmas Eve?" He spat the last seven words as a string, and Clarisse struggled to grasp their meaning.

"I – I don't think so," she said, her own composure slipping with her surprise. Was this… a date? Were they going to go out on a real date? They hadn't yet, and in truth, she hadn't missed it. The idea of solidifying the relationship was really rather frightening.

"Would you want to, I don't know, go to dinner? See a movie?" The skin around his ears turned dark red, and he exhaled and rubbed his hair. "Sorry," he muttered, "I'm not very good at this."

"That's okay," she replied, voice crisp. "And um, that would be nice."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she said, giving a single definitive nod.

"Um, I'm sorry I waited so long to ask you…" he said softly, staring down at his hands. "I do really like you, Clarisse. I'm just bad at this stuff."

"I am too," she said, and he smiled, knowing it must be hard for her to admit deficiency. "And…" She stared at the bottom of the mug, watching the chocolate syrup debris. "…I like you too."

He smiled, wiggling his fingers so they brushed hers. "Oh yeah?"

"Shut up, Chris, that's all you're getting out of me."

"Fair enough. Do you want to help me with my training arm? I think my leg is feeling better."

Clarisse rose from her seat, nodding. "You're on." Smiling secretly to herself, she bounded out the doors. At the end of it, she liked that they were still themselves. She liked that they could still be friends, and plays as rivals like they used to. While it may have lacked the glamour that some preferred, she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

* * *

**Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas**

_Percabeth_

"Whew, that was a close one." Percy collapsed onto a bench, breathing heavily. "It's been so long since we saw a monster, I think I forgot how to fight them." He grinned. "Hey, are you okay? …Annabeth?"

She strode past him, angry gaze flashing at the sky. "Annabeth?" he repeated.

"What?" Shaking her head to clear it, she turned back to him. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

"Nothing important," he said, shrugging. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Fine, I guess," she replied. Her eyes darted from side to side, avoiding his the way they did when she was upset. "I'm just… annoyed."

"Yeah?" He slid next to her, putting an arm across her shoulders. "Come on, let's get a cab, and then we can talk."

With a nod, she followed, and he realized that she must be shaken. Raising his hand like an expert New Yorker, he hustled them inside a taxi and blurted the address.

"Hey…" he said softly, taking her fingers. "What's up?"

"Nothing," she exploded, tensing.

"You're pissed," he said, stating the obvious.

"Yeah, I guess so." She shimmied away from him, leaning her head on her hand.

"Why?" he asked, trying to sound gentle rather than confused. "We've handled tons of monsters before, right?"

"Yeah… but that was before we were supposed to be safe," she said. Gritting her teeth together, she kicked out her chin. "I just thought everything was finally okay, you know? I wasn't expecting to have to fight on Christmas Eve." Apparently she thought she sounded stupid, for she backed off. "Whatever, it isn't important."

He frowned at her. "That's not true." When she refused to meet his eyes, he challenged it. "…But Annabeth, I think you're wrong. Sort of. I mean, we are safe. Everything_ is _okay."

At this sentence, her breath quickened "But what about today? What if something like that happens again, and we aren't prepared? What about the second prophecy? What about – "

"Whoa, whoa, slow down." Percy laughed rather humorlessly, and squeezed her hand tighter. "I – Annabeth, you don't have to worry. We're going to be fine." Finally, she looked at him. "And besides, I think things are going pretty good." His lips molded into a sloppy grin. "Don't you?"

After pretending to think for a moment, she nodded. "Yes, I do." To prove it, she leaned casually against him, head finding his shoulder.

"See?" he said, gently rocking her back and forth. "And we've got our families and our friends. And," he continued, stretching out the word, "we'll deal with whatever happens. I promise. Okay?"

She sighed, wanting to capture this moment forever. For once, her seaweed brain had managed the task of being irrevocably wise, and for lack of a better word, _right._ "Okay," she replied, thoroughly enjoying the warmth behind her head.

"Okay? Really?" His face lit up, delighted. "I cheered you up?"

"Mmhm," she replied, laughing at his obvious joy. "You did. Thank you."

"Awesome!" He ran his hand over his hair, evidently proud of himself. "Want to order Mexican food and watch horror movies?" he asked, looking hopeful.

She made a face. "You sure have an odd idea of Christmas, don't you?"

"Oh right," he said, as if he'd forgotten. "It's Christmas… Hmm, well, what do you want to do?"

"I don't know," she said, thoughtful. "I've spent every Christmas at camp."

"Well… hey, do you want to take a walk? In the snow and stuff? We can end up at whatever restaurant looks coolest."

"Sounds good," Annabeth replied, allowing him to help her from the cab. While Percy did not live in the most glamorous of neighborhoods, there was certainly plenty to see. They stopped into most stores, making a farce out of the pretentious ones. Percy bought her a snow globe with the empire state building in it, and they eventually settled on a dinner of pizza and sprite.

"This was the best Christmas I've ever had," Percy said, as Annabeth wiped a speck of tomato sauce off his chin. "Seriously."

"Mine too," she said, smiling. "Thanks for all of this."

"Annabeth," he said, intensity loading into his eyes, "you don't have to thank me. We're together, you and me. Of course I want to… you know, do all of the normal couple things."

As uncomfortable as she was with sweet nothings and awkward flirting, Annabeth smiled. "I like all of that too, you know. The normal couple things. It's nice to act like mortals."

"And see, no monsters got us for the rest of the night," Percy said, clapping his hands. "I think that calls for a celebration."

"Like what?" Annabeth asked, placing her palms atop his.

"Ice cream?"

"Sounds good. Hey, merry Christmas, by the way," she said, leaning forward and kissing his cheek.

"Merry Christmas," he replied, reciprocating with a kiss on her nose. He picked up his soda can, clicking hers. "And to a happy New Year, right? That's what they say?"

"Yes," Annabeth replied, restraining her laughter. "To a happy New Year." They clinked the cans a second time. "And Percy," she went on, "Thanks for tonight. You really did distract me, and I needed it. So…" Their lips were nearly touching now, both their faces heating to a pale red. "I…" For the first time in her life, she found herself stumbling for words. "I love you."

He jutted away in surprise, eyes greener than she'd ever seen them. "You – you – I…" His head ducked, expression changing with every millisecond.

"Percy?" she asked, after she heard him start to choke.

"No, no, I love you too," he managed to get out, still panting, "It's just…" He shook his head, "Gods, wow, this is a big step for us, isn't it?"

"Yeah…" She slid out of her chair, wrapping her arms around his back. "Is that okay?"

"Of course it is," he replied, nestling his head against her. "I'm just surprised. It's a good surprise, though," he added at once. Then, slowly and full of thought, he went on. "Hey, let's forget about shopping, go back up to my house. …Okay?" The question was very, very plain.

She leveled her gaze, moving around to face him. "Tonight?"

"Yeah… Are you – are you ready? Because if you aren't, I totally –"

"No," she said, "I am ready. And – it's Christmas, right? Let's go." Hand in hand, they returned to the Jackson apartment, ready to take the next step. Because whatever trials they may have faced, however much they struggled to get together, the result was completely worth it. They loved each other, and they knew they were in this for the rest of their lives; whatever came their way.

* * *

A/N: Wow, I know it's kind of (ridiculously) long. Sorry 'bout that. I didn't like the idea of having it be multi-chaptered though, so here we are. Thanks for reading! Much love! And please… make the endless word count worth it. Review? Pretty please?


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